Sputtering target, method for manufacturing the same, and method for manufacturing thin film transistor

Abstract

An object is to provide a sputtering target capable of obtaining a film having favorable characteristics. A sputtering target ( 100 ) is configured of a plurality of target materials ( 10 ) made of IGZO, a backing plate ( 20 ) made of Cu or the like, and a bonding material ( 30 ) made of In or the like. The plurality of target materials ( 10 ) are bonded with the backing plate ( 20 ) via the bonding material 30 . A groove ( 40 ) having a length (L 2 ), a width (W 3 ) and a depth (D 1 ) is provided on the surface of each target material ( 10 ). This groove ( 40 ) is provided parallel to a joint ( 15 ) of the mutually adjacent target materials ( 10 ) in the vicinity of the joint ( 15 ) (position with a distance (W 2 ) from the joint ( 15 )). The width (W 3 ) of the groove ( 40 ) and the distance (W 2 ) between the joint ( 15 ) and the groove ( 40 ) are sufficiently smaller than the length (L 1 ) of each of upper and lower sides of the target material ( 10 ).

1 . A sputtering target, comprising:
 a plurality of target materials made of an identical material;   a support material that supports the plurality of target materials; and   a bonding material that bonds the plurality of target materials and the support material, wherein   a surface of at least one of the mutually adjacent target materials is provided with a groove that splits the surface into two or more regions.   
     
     
         2 . The sputtering target according to  claim 1 , wherein each target material is made of a semiconductor. 
     
     
         3 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein said semiconductor is an oxide semiconductor. 
     
     
         4 . The sputtering target according to  claim 3 , wherein the oxide semiconductor mainly contains indium, gallium, zinc and oxygen. 
     
     
         5 . The sputtering target according to  claim 3 , wherein the oxide semiconductor contains at least one of indium, gallium, zinc, copper, silicon, tin, aluminum, calcium, germanium and lead. 
     
     
         6 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein the groove is provided parallel to the joint between the mutually adjacent target materials. 
     
     
         7 . The sputtering target according to  claim 6 , wherein the groove is provided in the vicinity of the joint. 
     
     
         8 . The sputtering target according to  claim 7 , wherein, corresponding to the joint, at least one groove is provided on each of one surface and the other surface of the mutually adjacent target materials. 
     
     
         9 . The sputtering target according to  claim 8 , wherein, corresponding to the joint, a plurality of grooves are provided on each of one surface and the other surface of the mutually adjacent target materials. 
     
     
         10 . The sputtering target according to  claim 7 , wherein, corresponding to the joint, one groove is provided on one surface of the mutually adjacent target materials. 
     
     
         11 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein a depth of the groove is one-half or larger of a thickness of the target material provided with the groove, and smaller than the thickness of the target material provided with the groove 
     
     
         12 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein edge portions of each target material which correspond to the groove and the joint are chamfered. 
     
     
         13 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the support material is formed in a tabular shape, and   each target material is formed in a tabular shape.   
     
     
         14 . The sputtering target according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the support material is formed in a cylindrical shape or in a columnar shape, and   each target material is formed in the cylindrical shape.   
     
     
         15 . A method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor, comprising a step of:
 forming a channel layer by sputtering the sputtering target according to  claim 2 .   
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing a sputtering target having a plurality of target materials made of an identical material, a support material that supports the plurality of target materials, and a bonding material that joins the plurality of target materials and the support material, the method comprising a step of:
 forming a groove on the surface of at least one of the mutually adjacent target materials, the groove splitting the surface into two or more regions.